What began as a districtwide effort to reduce screen time became a well-attended community event as Palos Heights School District 128 brought families, educators and local organizations together for a Screen-Free Summer Family Event focused on wellness, connection and hands-on learning.
The event was held April 16 at Chippewa Elementary School, 12425 S Austin Ave., Palos Heights.
The initiative is part of the district’s broader Screen-Free Summer effort, which encourages students to step away from devices and instead engage in enrichment activities rooted in the district’s Portrait of a Learner, including wellness, citizenship and perseverance.
Held immediately after the school day to improve accessibility, the event drew more than 75 families who RSVP’d, along with additional walk-in participants.
Inside the school, families rotated through interactive booths designed to showcase summer opportunities through participation rather than passive information-sharing.
Community partners included the Palos Heights Public Library, Palos Heights Parks and Recreation, and area organizations such as Lake Katherine Nature Center, the Alsip Park District, Moraine Valley Community College FitRec youth programs, the Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn, and the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
Additional participants included Stage Door Dance Academy, CFI Robotics’ Robo Sumo program, Andy’s Frozen Custard, and district departments such as English Language Learning services, Title I reading support and the Parent Faculty Association.
District officials said accessibility was a key focus of the event, with translation services provided in Arabic and Spanish to support multilingual families. Staff reported significantly increased participation from English Learner families compared to typical school events, crediting on-site interpretation and translated materials for improving access.
Printed resources were also made available in multiple languages, including Albanian, Arabic and Spanish, allowing more families to engage directly with summer programming information.
While the event was considered successful overall, organizers noted a need to further improve accessibility for families using wheelchairs in crowded spaces, including exploring options for more streamlined entry and navigation in future events.
Families described the event as helpful in identifying summer opportunities and filling gaps in childcare and enrichment planning, while vendors reported strong engagement and increased awareness of their programs. Several partners said they learned new families were unaware of local resources prior to the event and expressed interest in returning.
Event organizer and second-grade teacher Colleen Dunford emphasized the purpose of the initiative, saying, “We know that meaningful learning can occur anywhere, and the community around our district has abundant natural and community resources. This initiative is about bringing families, schools, and community partners together to create experiences that build curiosity, connection, and well-being without relying on screens.”
Chippewa Elementary Principal Mary Lynn Duffy emphasized the broader impact of the initiative on child development and community engagement, saying, “The Screen-Free Summer initiative strongly supports the healthy development of the whole child for the upcoming summer and beyond. It is my hope that our collective school community will continue to encourage more natural play without screens. Play is an integral part of a young child’s development and Palos Heights offers many rich opportunities for families to connect and play. I am grateful for Mrs. Dunford’s leadership in making this event a success. I look forward to more opportunities to keep this message alive.”
In addition to the event, the district is extending the initiative into the summer through a Screen-Free Summer Challenge treasure map that encourages students to visit participating community partners and explore local activities.
Middle school and junior high students will receive a separate version that challenges them to design their own offline summer experiences and later reflect on them when school resumes in the fall, reinforcing both literacy and personal growth.
District leaders said Title I programming also saw increased participation during the event, with more families engaging in conversations about academic support and summer learning resources. Staff noted that the informal setting helped improve communication and trust between families and schools, and led to a record level of parent compacts being signed.
Reading specialist Kim Sopkin reported that the event allowed for extended conversations with families about Title I services and summer reading strategies, and said multilingual materials played an important role in improving access for non-English-speaking families.
District officials said the combination of strong attendance, broad community participation and continued vendor interest suggests the initiative could serve as a model for future family engagement efforts focused on wellness and learning outside the classroom.